Sugar, How It Is Hidden In Food Labels

fmdog44

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
Here are ten sneaky pseudonyms manufacturers use to fool you in to thinking there is no sugar in their products.

Amazake
Carob Powder
Corn Syrup
Dextrose
Evaporated Cane Juice
Fructose
Fruit Juice Concentrate
High-Frucose Corn Syrup
Honey
Maltose

The amount of sugar the average American eats every year without noticing most of it is 13 five pound bags.
 

A herb native to South American, stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar.
It has no calories and no glycemic impact ,making it suitable for diabetics as well as weight watchers .
 
Vega_Lyra said:
A herb native to South American, stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar.
It has no calories and no glycemic impact ,making it suitable for diabetics as well as weight watchers .
Click to expand...

I use this in my coffee. I can't tell it's not sugar by the taste.
 

RadishRose said:
I use this in my coffee. I can't tell it's not sugar by the taste.
Click to expand...

Though stevia is most likely as safe as artificial sweeteners (or more so), few long-term studies have been done to document its health effects in humans. A review conducted by toxicologists at UCLA, which was commissioned by nutrition advocate Center for Science in the Public Interest (Kobylewski & Eckhert, 2008), raised concerns that stevia could contribute to cancer. The authors noted that in some test tube and animal studies, stevioside (but not rebaudioside A) caused genetic mutations, chromosome damage and DNA breakage. These changes presumably could contribute to malignancy, though no one has actually studied if these compounds cause cancer in animal models. Notably, initial concerns that stevia may reduce fertility or worsen diabetes seem to have been put to rest after a few good studies showed no negative outcomes. In fact, one study of human subjects showed that treatment with stevia may improve glucose tolerance. Another found that stevia may induce the pancreas to release insulin, thus potentially serving as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. (These studies are reviewed in Goyal, Samsher and Goyal, 2010.) After artificial sweeteners were banned in Japan more than 40 years ago, the Japanese began to sweeten their foods with stevia. And while they have conducted more than 40,000 clinical studies on stevia and concluded that it is safe for human use, there is a general lack of long-term studies on stevia’s use and effects.All in all, stevia’s sweet taste and all-natural origins make it a popular sugar substitute. With little long-term outcomes data available on the plant extract, it is possible that stevia in large quantities could have harmful effects. However, it seems safe to say that when consumed in reasonable amounts, stevia may be an exceptional natural plant-based sugar substitute. Check the label next time you eat a favorite low-calorie sweet. You’re likely to find stevia near the top of the ingredient list.
 
Hidden sugars are a huge problem in packaged foods but so are articulate sweeteners. Those things are worse than sugar. I prefer to use either:
unpasterized raw honey
maple syrup
stevia in small amounts since it is so sweet or
organic blue agave syrup

So much healthier. That high fructose corn syrup is horrible stuff and used so often
 
I don't use much sugar and would never use artificial sweeteners. My nuero doctors say they constrict the blood vessels and I need mine open as I have a history of brain aneurysms. The only time I buy sugar is to make my Christmas candy. Other than that I eat my cereal without it and take my coffee black. There is enough hidden sugar in stuff so I don't add to it.
 
I use Stevia in he raw. Unfortunately I see it's cut with maltodextrin. They say it's because the Stevia is too sweet on it's own.
Ill be replacing it when gone with pure Stevie drops.
Too bad as I had buy one get one free coupon and I have another.
Unless someone can convince me the maltodextrin is safe. I use a very small amount sprinkled on oatmeal or in yogurt.
We grew Stevia one year. Just wasn't sure how to use it. Probably should have made an extract.
 
It's hard to know what to do when it comes to sweeteners, artificial or otherwise.

I was under the impression that alcohol sugars like sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and isomalt were better choices for people with diabetes. My nutritionist told me to save my money and look for regular products sweetened with small amounts of plain old sugar.

I guess we all need to muddle along and find our own path to the cemetery. :eek:nthego:
 
I use Sweet And Low or Splenda when it goes on sale. I know it isn't the greatest thing to use but with the amount of sugar I would use in my beverages I think it is the lesser of two evils. I put 4 packets of Sweet and Low in my coffee mug which really is equal to two cups. I can get away with 3 packets but can't get beyond that. I tried and found I don't enjoy my coffee anymore. I grew Stevia in my garden which, by the way, turned out to be a very finicky plant to grow maybe that's why it is so expensive. anyway I finally got some leaves off the plant and dried them. Grinding them up was another problem. Even though I got the leaves into a dust like substance it just floated on my coffee. I'll stick to my Sweet and Low.
 
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